A Melksham man, who didn’t own a bike until June, is preparing to embark on a 73-mile cycle from Melksham to Weymouth in aid of a charity which supports children with additional needs.
Ian Hedges will take on the challenge on 27th September to raise funds for Stepping Stones in Trowbridge, which supports babies and children aged up to four years old from across the local area through therapy and developmental support.
Ian will embark on the ride ahead of a longer 250-mile ride from Melksham to Land’s End next year.
“I did not own a bike before 4th June,” said Ian. “A friend of mine said you should do a charity cycle ride, so I bought a bike and have been relentlessly training ever since.”
Ian has so far raised over £1,000 for Stepping Stones, which has supported his children. “I myself am autistic, and when I was born in 1983, places like Stepping Stones just didn’t exist. We have come a long way ultimately, but I don’t want to live in a society where people get left behind.”
To prepare for the event, Ian heads out for a bike ride at 5.30am and completes 50km before work.
“I do these three or four times a week,” explained Ian. “The work is getting harder, and in the next couple of weeks I will be doing 60km rides. We are getting to the point where I need to be match sharp now.
“In terms of riding on the roads, there are times when riding downhill can feel concerning due to the potholes, but on the whole, I have really enjoyed riding on the road – people have been really nice.
“When I started this journey, I was around 19 stone but in nine weeks I have gone down to 16 stone.”
Ian praised the support Stepping Stones provides to families, saying, “Stepping Stones come in and they put the metaphorical arm around the parents. They are a tiny charity, and I just thought, there are enough people standing up for big charities, but I want to stand up for the small charities which are a major pillar in our society.”
Visit Ian’s fundraising page to support the campaign, or scan the QR code https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/front-door-to-southern-shore
Pictured: Ian, centre, with his children
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